Track Listing

1. Begin the begin
2. Hyena
3. Just a touch
4. I believe
5. These days
6. Flowers of Guatemala
7. Cuyahoga
8. What if we give it away
9. Fall on me
10. Swan swan H
11. Tired of singing trouble
12. Rotary ten
13. Toys in the attic
14. Just a touch (2)
15. Dream (All I have to do)
16. Swan swan H (2)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33468 in Music
• Released on: 1997-09-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
After a harrowing experience recording their previous album (1985's magnificent Fables Of The Reconstruction), R.E.M. reconvened the following year muttering something about a "poppier" sound. However, old fans were given little to complain about when Life's Rich Pageant was unveiled. Admittedly new producer Don Gehman had cleaned things up; you can even hear what Michael Stipe was singing on a couple of songs. And, yes, there's even a novelty cover ("Superman"). All these factors though, point to a band really enjoying themselves in the studio, from the euphoric clatter of "Begin The Begin" to the poignant waltz-time strum of "Swan Swan H". Highlights? Too many to mention--but it's hard to disagree with Stipe when he cites "Cuyahoga" and the hymnal "Fall On Me" as two of his very best. And, of the extra tracks, an exquisitely bare "(All I Have To Do Is) Dream" runs them damn close. --Peter Paphides

CD Description
Coming after the dark and arty FABLES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION, 1986's LIFE'S RICH PAGEANT was R.E.M.'s first tentative step towards the rock & roll mainstream. At the time, Don Gehman's production sounded shockingly bright and commercial, but, in hindsight, the album is clearly a dry run for the impending commercial pinnacle of GREEN, OUT OF TIME, and AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE. The gorgeous "Fall on Me" (an ecological meditation featuring a spectacularly pretty chorus sung in counterpoint by Michael Stipe and Mike Mills) remains the record's best-known track. However, it is a quartet of harder-rocking songs--"Begin the Begin", "Cuyahoga", "Just a Touch" (which quotes Patti Smith's 1975 deconstruction of "My Generation") and a giddy cover of the Clique's psych-pop obscurity "Superman" sung by Mills--that points towards the Georgia band's more emotionally direct and musically loose future. LIFE'S RICH PAGEANT has been largely overshadowed by its morecommercially successful follow-ups, but it remains one of R.E.M.'s strongest albums.

Customer Reviews

Just a touch
Good album - but the reason i'm writing is to give the PROPER order of the tracks. As far as i'm aware, all formats have always infamously had the above listing which also omits a couple of tracks - this still confuses me. Below is the correct one (including bonus tracks on the IRS Years special edition)

1. Begin the begin
2. These Days
3. Fall on me
4. Cuyahoga
5. Hyena
6. Underneath the bunker
7. Flowers of Guatemala
8. I believe
9. What if we give it away
10.Just a touch
11.Swan swan H
12.Superman
13.Tired of singing trouble
14.Rotary ten
15.Toys in the attic
16.Just a touch (live)
17.Dream (all I have to do)
18.Swan swan H (acoustic)

Anal retentive? Me?

Early work sets the pace
Lifes Rich Pageant is a true work of musical art. Encompassing all that was great in REM during their early years and highlighting the great things that were to come. Each track gets better and better with none being below par, country melodies blend with both the acoustic sets of "swan swan humming" bird and the "thrash of just a touch". Now re released with the IRS vintage version the album offers great value with previosly unheard live and cover tracks. No REM fan would be complete without this vintage album, which in my opinion track for track is their best ever work, and although some recent tracks are true works of art the band has to replicate the magic of this album which was recorded over 18 years ago.

"Swallow the rapture"
When REM returned to the studio in April 1986 to record their fourth album - the follow up to the tepidly received "Fables Of The Reconstruction (The I.R.S. Years Vintage)" they were determined to put the rather gloomy experience of recording that particular album behind them .In other words they wanted to revel in the process and i would say that it is fair to surmise that judging by the results they succeeded.
History would come to judge Fables rather more favourably but Lifes Rich Pageant ( named after an Inspector Clouseau saying in the 1964 film "A Shot in the Dark [1964]" according to Peter Buck) was pretty rapturously received on it's arrival and listening to it again recently it's not hard to understand why. Released in July 1986 and clocking in at around a snappy 38 minutes it's arguably the most unashamedly enjoyable album in their entire canon.
The band brought in Don Gehan as producer and it's noticeable how cleaned up the sound is compared to the murky Fables. This album also heralds the first discernable steps towards the more mainstream ethos , something that would take on a hyper-leap with their next album "Document (Remastered)". Stipes vocals are also more distinct on two or three tracks marking another transition towards relative commerciality.
All of this is evident from the first emphatic chords of opening track "Begin The Begin " a thrusting heavy duty rock song more redolent of Led Zeppelin than any indie rock band. There is the amphetamine driven rush of "These Days" and then ,for me, the greatest song REM have put their name to. "Fall On Me" is an astounding multi harmonised wonder. It sounds like three pop songs simultaneously combusting in your ears and every one of those three songs is a Beach Boys riot of melody. It's one of those songs that can transport your mood into the stratosphere and as such should be cherished.
"Fall On Me " is an ecological song and is smartly followed by another- "Cuyahoga" which refers to the once heavily-polluted Cuyahoga River that flows into Lake Erie at Cleveland. "Hyena " is another giddy rush of blurring chords and after the throw away brief instrumental "Underneath The Bunker" "The Flowers Of Guatemala ",s dense chiming arrangement recalls their second album "Reckoning". As does the sprightly "I Believe" though Stipes vocals are far more upfront in the mix than anything on that album . "What If We Give Away" is an under-rated song -a great pop song what I refer to as REM,s XTC moment. "Just A Touch" is more akin to the angular strains of Wire played at 78rpm while "Swan Swan H" is a lovely filigree of acoustic and appealing delicate electric tones . Finally on the original album is a jaunty cover of The Cliques "Superman " with robust lead vocals by Mike Mills .
The extra tracks are culled from the recording sessions from this album (another version of "Just A Touch" is from the "Reckoning " sessions) or filched from soundtracks and in all honesty don't belong on the same disc as what's gone before though "Toys In the Attic" is grumpily thrilling.
Where REM ever this good again? ...Well yes , certainly on "Automatic for the People though I feel even that album lacks Lifes Rich Pageants' zesty consistency . "Document (Remastered)", the album following is pretty fine too but if I had to choose the one REM album for me this is it. It's got "Fall On Me " on it. What more could you want? As the cryptic inner sleeve notes say "Swallow the rapture".